Kobe Bryant played 25 minutes against Barcelona, his competitive nature getting the better of his need to rest his knee.

He asked to come back in the close game despite him not being able to fully trust his knee yet (which shows in his inability to drive and his off-target jumper). Kobe was 2 for 15 on the night, 0-6 from three and was not in the flow of the Laker offense. What little of that there was.

Jackson said Monday one way he’ll adjust that situation is limiting Bryant’s playing time in upcoming exhibition games while his surgically repaired right knee gets stronger. He played 25 minutes in Barcelona, but Jackson said 16 minutes is enough now — which would mean Bryant going for eight minutes to start each half.

“Any more than that right now is expecting a little too much,” Jackson said.

That’s the plan for now. In two weeks, on Oct. 26, when the Lakers open up against the Rockets, you can throw that plan out the window.